THE FA have opted to take a sympathetic view on Joe Kinnear regarding his touchline bust-up with Hull City boss Phil Brown in the FA Cup third-round replay last month.

An FA official confirmed to the Chronicle that both Brown and Kinnear have admitted the charges of improper conduct that came their way after the confrontation at St James’s Park.

Both managers were set to be hauled in front of the FA together after requesting personal hearings relating to the charges.

But with Kinnear recovering from heart surgery, the FA have taken a step back and will wait until Newcastle United confirm to them that the Toon boss is ready to return to work before summoning him in front of their disciplinary panel.

It means that Brown now faces his personal hearing alone on March 19, and he will take in the Premier League game between United and Hull at the KC Stadium five days earlier from his usual place in the dug-out.

Kinnear has a chequered history with the FA and started his Toon career banned from the sidelines for calling ref Brian Curson “Coco the Clown” during his Nottingham Forest days.

He was then fined £500 for branding ref Martin Atkinson a “Mickey Mouse” official during United’s 2-1 loss at Fulham back in November.

And the clash with Brown in the FA Cup tie could see both managers facing a touchline ban, meaning that Kinnear’s return to management could begin in the stands if he makes his planned return on April 11 at Stoke City.

An FA source said today: “Both Phil and Joe have admitted the charges.

“They also both requested personal hearings, and the plan was to do them both together. But with Joe not in a fit state to work, that hearing has been postponed.

"Phil will have his hearing on March 19. We have to take into consideration the circumstances, and we'll wait until Joe is in a good state of health before it goes ahead. There will be no action in his absence."

Brown said: "I'm hoping the powers-that-be will show common sense when they deliberate on our FA cup tie."